All Episodes

July 21, 2023 52 mins

Geographic information systems. There, I've lost a few of you already, but you're missing out because GIS is more than about where things are, but why they're there, and quite a few of those reasons are around why people do people things. Helen McKenzie is a cartographer, data visualiser, and geospatial advocate who is passionate about finding meaning in complex data and making information beautiful.

We speak about Helen's love of maps and how we can use geospatial analysis to elegantly give us more meaning to the way we live in the world around us and keep our societies ticking away.

About Helen McKenzie 

Helen McKenzie is a Geospatial Advocate which means her job is to get people excited about all things geospatial! She has been working in the geospatial industry for around 10 years and has recently made the move from consultancy to technical marketing, whether that's through running live workshops or writing blogs about using GIS to choose the best venue for the Eurovision Song Contest.

Show Notes (link)

[00:01:32] How Helen found her way to geography and GIS.

[00:05:04] Helen's dissertation combining Jane Austen and GIS.

[00:08:57] What does work in geospatial sciences look like?

[00:12:04] The depth of detail in understanding our communities.

[00:15:19] Michele talks about warm data again because warm data is cool.

[00:17:06] GIS is about engagement with the data and making those connections.

[00:21:00] Becoming a geospatial advocate.

[00:27:20] Understanding from geospatial data and its value to businesses.

[00:29:25] The cost and factors involved in opening a new store branch.

[00:32:29] Michele has too many bubble tea shops nearby. Her local area could have benefitted from some geospatial data.

[00:34:14] What does a geospatial advocate do?

[00:39:55] Finding your audience.

[00:41:46] What Helen doesn't like about her work.

[00:42:48] The challenges of public speaking.

Connect with STEAM Powered

Website | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Patreon

Hosted and produced by Michele Ong.

Music is "Gypsy Jazz in Paris 1935" by Brett Van Donsel.



This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

Podscribe - https://podscribe.com/privacy
OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy
Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/
Mark as Played

Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

24/7 News: The Latest

24/7 News: The Latest

The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.

Crime Junkie

Crime Junkie

Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.